NOVEL NEXT Chapter 47: Turning the tables: following the prince around
It was very unclear to others what Prince Rian and Earl Rosewood were doing inside Prince Rian’s study room.
In fact, after they both fixed up their hair, Rian helped Ren Xiyang by writing down all the names and connections of the people they had met just that morning, which then led to a complete listing of all the current noble families in Sedavaria along with their fief location and dominant magic-type. With Alyssa Rosewood’s memories, Ren Xiyang could just barely manage to remember some of the nobles and recall enough past etiquette training to minimally satisfy Rian.
They also discussed what Rian had planned over the next few days and what Ren Xiyang had planned while he was in the Capital. For one, Ren Xiyang couldn’t simply follow Rian around—he had many employee interviews at the Rosewood main house to conduct.
Somehow, they talked for long enough that a servant had to knock on the door to call them out to lunch.
Rian flashed Ayden a quick grin. “I hope you remember everything that I told you, Earl Rosewood.”
“I’ll simply act shy and won’t speak,” Ren Xiyang countered.
Rian snorted. “As if anyone can believe you are shy, Earl Rosewood! Why, your actions have spread across the kingdom, already shocking the old nobles.”
“Is that so?”
Rian opted to push the earl towards the study door. “Come now, don’t delay.”
As Ren Xiyang opened the door, Rian’s posture straightened and his smile became measured.
“Your Highness, lunch will be starting soon,” the servant said with a lowered head.
“Lead the way,” Rian said.
The servant bowed. “Yes, Your Highness.”
That day, anyone at the Imperial Palace who saw Prince Rian would also see Earl Rosewood. It was as though the two were inseparable.
Lunch was held in a long dining room that opened directly into the main Palace Gardens. The windows and doors were all open, with a cool magical breeze that alleviated the summer heat. King Edric and Queen Mira sat at the head of the table. Prince Rian sat on the King’s side. Earl Rosewood sat down next to Prince Rian.
And Prince Alexius sat down next to Earl Rosewood on his other side, instead of sitting next to Queen Mira.
Various other nobles filled the remaining seats. The other nobles at the dining table all understood. There couldn’t be any clearer statement of Earl Rosewood’s loyalty to Prince Rian. And it also seemed that Prince Rian was declaring his protection of Earl Rosewood in return.
Ren Xiyang had to reach back into Alyssa’s memories about noble dining etiquette. He could feel the pressure of others’ eyes.
This lunch was very different from the final dinner at the Rosewood summer manor. Ren Xiyang, Rian, and Alexius were the youngest at the table. Ren Xiyang didn’t care to speak; As for Rian and Alexius, even with their statuses, it wasn’t their place to speak unless spoken to. They all ate quietly, answering questions when asked.
Ren Xiyang thought to himself, who knew the princes could actually be obedient. Yet they clearly liked acting spoilt and coquettish towards him!
Lunch ended when Queen Mira announced that it was over. She and King Edric left first, along with the nobles who had come to the Imperial Palace to have an audience with them.
With the adult nobles gone, Prince Alexius turned to his brother and the earl. “What are you doing now? You should have let me help you give Ayden a tour too,” he said with a pout.
“But Sir Gerlach made you study,” Rian said with a shrug. “We’ll be visiting the Capital Hospital to discuss germs. Do you want to come along?”
Alexius sighed heavily, as though he had the world’s weight on his shoulders. “Is this for work?”
“Yes.”
Alexius sighed again. “Then go, for the good of the kingdom.”
Ren Xiyang reached out and ruffled Alexius’s hair. “We can tell you all the horrible things germs cause later.”
Alexius was stunned as his hair was ruffled.
Rian pursed his lips. He also reached out and ruffled Alexius’s hair. “Now be a good boy and have your nap. We’ll have afternoon tea together, okay?”
Alexius pouted up a storm, covering his head from the hair-ruffling hands. “Tch. Fine.” He walked over to the waiting Sir Gerlach Agean and his entourage of guards and servants. No fair, Rian and Ayden were only two years older than him, why were they treating him like a baby!
…But he didn’t want to join in on their boring meetings. It was such a terrible conundrum for Alexius, which he soon forgot as he had his afternoon nap.
The Capital Hospital was in the inner city, very close to the Imperial Palace. Ren Xiyang and Rian took an Imperial carriage over to the hospital. Two senior healer mages were waiting for them.
After introducing everyone to each other, Rian said, “Earl Rosewood is here to accompany me today. You can freely say anything in front of him that you would say to me. He’s also very concerned about what kind of spells can purify the air and clean surfaces of these germs.”
The two senior mage-healers nodded. “Please come inside, Your Highness, Earl Rosewood. Our team has done some intensive testing…”
The senior healers took them to a meeting room in the hospital.
Since the Imperial family had contacted them, their team had split into two subgroups. One group was focused on determining whether germs existed or not. The other group was systematically studying the cleanliness of cleaning spells, and whether shield spells could truly block all air and prevent contact.
Ren Xiyang listened expressionlessly.
The healers still weren’t sure about the existence of germs, and they were quite sure that cleaning spells and some shield spells worked as expected, and that their current hygiene practices, including hand washing and cleaning spellers, were sufficient.
Rian turned to Ayden. “Earl Rosewood, do you have any comments?”
Ren Xiyang nodded slightly. “It’s not surprising that you haven’t seen any germs yet. Some lenses can enlarge objects. Try using multiple lenses to enlarge a small amount of unpurified water.”
The senior healers frowned. “You refer to the lenses used for glasses for the common people?” Of course, for nobles with easy access to healers, weak eyes were fixed with magical healing spells.
“No, magnifying lenses have much stronger focusing power.”
The healers continued to frown.
“Look into it,” Rian ordered.
The healers lowered their heads. “Yes, Your Highness.”
Once the meeting was over, Rian asked for a junior worker to show him and Earl Rosewood around the hospital. They returned to the Imperial Palace in time for afternoon tea.
Servants had prepared treats and tea in Prince Rian’s private garden. Alexius was waiting for them, looking like he was a minute away from starting without them.
“Finally! Rian, Ayden, take a seat,” Alexius said instead of a greeting.
“Did you have a nice nap?” Rian asked pointedly.
Alexius huffed. “Yes, yes I did.” He then ignored his brother and looked at Ayden. “Ayden, try this cake, it’s one of my favourites…”
“Thank you,” Ren Xiyang said.
Rian narrowed his eyes. He picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea. “Earl Rosewood, here you go.”
“Thank you,” Ren Xiyang said.
The two brothers gave each other narrowed-eye looks.
“Be good and eat, or I’ll leave you both here,” Ren Xiyang said, feeling very old.
Rian generously poured a cup of tea for his little brother before serving himself. He then selected a tiny sandwich for himself, “Alexius hasn’t experienced much society, forgive him, Earl Rosewood.”
Alexius bit into a pastry, aggrieved.
Ren Xiyang inwardly rolled his eyes. However, the food was delicious, and as long as he ignored the two princes, Ren Xiyang could relax and admire the beautiful gardens and the lovely warmth of the sun and charge up his magical reserves.
After the afternoon tea, Alexius and Rian both had classes, while Ren Xiyang used Rian’s crystal ball to contact the staff back at the Rosewood summer manor. They all reconvened for dinner in the palace’s main dining hall, and then Ren Xiyang departed with his new plant-magic books in his arms.
The next day, Ren Xiyang once again came to the Imperial Palace. He had a morning meeting with the Imperial Councillor for Agriculture, Viscountess Isabella Sage, organised by Prince Rian.
Viscountess Sage was an expert plant mage. Her fief, the Sage fief, had the highest crop yields in all of the kingdom. Her family’s abilities and knowledge combined with warmer climates, rich soils and ample water resources was the source of this bountifulness.
Through Prince Rian, Viscountess Sage had already known about Earl Rosewood’s formulation of fertiliser and the four-crop rotation system. It was already being tested in the Sage fief, just in case. If nothing else, her Sage fief couldn’t fall behind in food production, especially not to a fire-based noble family! For the crops managed by mages, these improvements weren’t necessary, but the majority of crops were grown by non-magical farmers and it would be a great boon to them.
Rian hosted the meeting outdoors, on the grounds by the Imperial Palace. He and Ren Xiyang arrived first, and two of the Royal Guards carried out the new plough from the shed where it had been stored.
A few minutes before the meeting officially started, Viscountess Sage and her daughter, Florence Sage, arrived. They both bright green eyes and long green hair tied into a thick braid.
After a round of greetings, Ren Xiyang presented the new plough, explaining how the modified curves and so forth meant less effort was required to plough the land.
“—This is only one step. In the future, I want to create a method to pull or push this plough without human or animal effort,” Ren Xiyang said.
Viscountess Sage ran a critical eye over the plough. “It is not so difficult to make.”
“Earl Rosewood, were you planning to manufacture these ploughs yourself?” Rian asked.
“I plan to make enough for Rosewood farmers, but there won’t be any mass production. Anyone can manufacture it themselves,” Ren Xiyang said. After all, this plough was something from his past world, long out of patent protection, and it wasn’t his own invention to profit over.
“Earl Rosewood has given me the detailed blueprints for the plough,” Rian said. “I hope that if the plough is useful along with the four-crop method, then the Imperial Council will award Earl Rosewood for improvements to Sedaverian agriculture and disseminate these advancements across the kingdom.”
Viscountess Sage, also known as the Imperial Councillor for Agriculture, gave a wry smile. “This will be bought up to the Imperial Council when appropriate,” she said. “But first, Earl Rosewood, tell me your reasoning for your cropping methods and fertiliser formulations. We have concerns about the use of human waste, in particular.”
Ren Xiyang nodded slightly. He replied seriously and in full detail about the nutrient cycle and nitrogen fixing and so forth. He also explained the processing required to turn human waste into safe fertiliser.
“—However, there are so other methods I haven’t yet implemented,” Ren Xiyang said. “ I’m interested in the spells that you can use to speed up the growing process, the effect it has on the land afterwards, and the quality of the produced vegetables. Unfortunately, Sedaveria or neighbouring nations still suffer from regular famines when the weather is randomly unfavourable.”
Florence Sage nodded absently. After glancing at her mother, she said, “I’ve also noticed that we have a famine approximately every decade.”
“Hence, I want to improve food security. But to feed everyone, we need increased crop yields, improved food storage, and good food distribution networks.”
Florence Sage glanced at her mother. “Mother, I recall that you have an Imperial Council meeting this morning too. I can continue talking to Earl Rosewood.”
Viscountess Sage checked her pocket watch. “Indeed I do. Your Highness, Earl Rosewood, you must forgive my departure.”
“Thank you for your time today,” Ren Xiyang said.
“We won’t make you late to an Imperial Council meeting,” Rian said. “Earl Rosewood will be in the Capital for at least a week for any follow-up questions.”
Viscountess Sage remembered, “I heard that Your Highness and Earl Rosewood will be duelling next week after the ball?”
Rian smiled. “Yes. If you are free, come and watch.”
“I’ll look forward to it.” Viscountess Sage farewelled everyone and left with her servants.
The three younger people left behind all unconsciously relaxed a bit.
“Forgive my mother,” Florence said. “This time period is crucial before the harvests in autumn.”
“It’s fine,” Ren Xiyang said. Among the nobles he had met, she had one of the best attitudes towards him, aside from the nonsensical Prince Rian and Prince Alexius.
Florence gave them a quick grin. “But don’t worry, your four-crop system will pass successfully. You’ll need to convince us about the fertiliser though.”
“If you are worried about safety, then a healer should be employed to test for unwanted diseases,” Ren Xiyang said. “See, synthetic fertilisers are possible, but I currently don’t have the capability.”
Florence’s eyes brightened. “Synthetic fertilisers? What do you mean? My family has some magical fertiliser concoctions.”
“Remember how I mentioned phosphorus and so forth? Phosphate fertilisers can be produced from rock phosphate by first converting the rock phosphate into phosphoric acid…”
Rian’s lips thinned as Florence and Ayden proceeded to talk to each other while completely ignoring him.
Rian: *drinks a jar of unknown liquid (vinegar)*
By the way, Florence Sage is 17 years old. Still a kid in Ren Xiyang’s old man’s eyes 😆
Ren Xiyang: Huh, so the two princes can be obedient.
Rian: ….…. What are you implying, Earl Rosewood? I challenge you to a duel!
Count Aegean: ..…..
ALSO!!! It’s Ren Xiyang (Modern AU) by Ezra!
Maybe one day in the future, Rian will have the privilege to say “Ren Ren”~